Marriott to spend $218 mln on hotels in South Africa

JOHANNESBURG, Oct 5 (Reuters) - Marriott International plans to spend 3 billion rand ($218.14 million) on hotels in South Africa, it said on Wednesday.

Marriott, which last month won the final clearance to buy rival Starwood Hotels and Resorts Worldwide Inc, said in a press invitation it will provide details at a news conference on Thursday.

The owner of up-market hotel chains such the Ritz Carlton and Sheraton already runs one of Africa's biggest hotel brands, Protea, which it acquired in 2014. ($1 = 13.7528 rand) (Reporting by Tiisetso Motsoeneng)